Unless you’re stranded at an airport with a spa, an arcade, a rotating art exhibit, or live music — yes, those airports exist — long layovers can be dreadful.
So rather than spend endless hours or days inside a crowded airport, why not take a mini excursion in the city?
Ahead of the busy holiday travel season, travel industry experts ranked 56 of the largest U.S. cities served by large- and medium-hub airports to determine 2022’s Best and Worst Cities for Layovers.
The analysts looked at each city’s share of delayed and canceled flights, including average departure delay times. They also searched for cities that are easy to navigate, especially from the airport, and offer plenty of fun things to do and see without breaking your bank.
Check out the five best (and five worst) cities for layovers below, followed by surprising findings from our report.
| 2022’s Best Cities for Layovers | |
| Rank | City |
| 1 | Portland, OR |
| 2 | Boise, ID |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK |
| 4 | New York, NY |
| 5 | Honolulu, HI |
| 2022’s Worst Cities for Layovers | |
| Rank | City |
| 52 | Cincinnati, OH |
| 53 | Durham, NC |
| 54 | Newark, NJ |
| 55 | Detroit, MI |
| 56 | Fort Worth, TX |
